


Senior Year

by SelloutMax



Category: Original Work
Genre: Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, F/M, Gay, Gay Male Character, High School, Love/Hate, M/M, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2019-07-28 23:39:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16252160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SelloutMax/pseuds/SelloutMax





	1. Chapter 1

The feeling of being left alone but being surrounded by friends and family was a constant thought that ran through my mind. It’s my last year of high school and I finally realized why I’m feeling that way. My friends, family, and peers all have someone they can connect with, except me. I’ve always felt out of place even in my friend group, which has slowly decreased to this point.

I remember a girl who had asked me out in middle school but because I was awkward I couldn’t say yes; in fact, I actually just stood there smiling like an idiot. I can’t wait for Homecoming or Prom, so I can dance awkwardly and alone, being disappointed in myself for not getting out there and meeting new people. I'm only seventeen but it feels like I'm having my midlife crisis just walking to school. 

Ella and Lewis, my two best friends, holding hands next to me as we walk to school. Lewis, the walking corner store pharmaceutical, is the most down-to-earth guy I’ve ever met but he’ll never know that because he's constantly high. Ella, who's more of a mother than my actual mother, is the kindest human you could ever meet. 

They started dating in the middle of Freshmen year and somehow lasted to our Senior year. Ella said that she’ll always hang out with me but I feel like I’m ruining their time together. I’m the ultimate third-wheel. I’m the action toy who gets replaced by the newer, better, model. I’m the training wheel to a bike whose owner no longer needed them.

We walked down the road. Most of the time we walked in silence but sometimes Lewis would strike up a conversation. “You guys hear ‘bout that sick ass party Branden is throwing this Saturday?” I take out my earphone and look at him.

“We should go this year.” Ella’s soft voice pierced my eardrums.

“That’s the last thing on my to-do list.” I rummaged through my mind of things I’d rather do than go to that party; the first on my list would be: dying.

“He has one every year but you never want to go.” I roll my eyes.

“I’m not attached to you twenty-four-seven, just because I don’t go doesn’t mean you can’t.”

“It wouldn’t be the same without you.” I knew that she wouldn’t stop prying. I glanced over at Lewis who had a goofy smile on his face. I rolled my eyes again, if I rolled them anymore they’d probably roll out of my head.

“Fine. I’ll go, but not because I want to but because you want to,” She gave me a big toothy grin and an awkward side hug, “If this party blows I’m blaming it on you.”


	2. Chapter Two

Lewis, Ella, and I stood at our lockers, idly chatting. We picked them on the last week of school, Junior year. Most people pick the same ones, so we’ve been put together since freshman year. Our lockers are at the intersection of the English rooms, the stairs, and another set of halls. Lewis leaned on the lockers as Ella and I stood away from them, closer towards the middle of the hall. 

“Is that Lewis?” Brandon, captain of the football team and the stereotypical embodiment of every high school bully, walked over with his goons. “My man.” He and Lewis exchanged a coordinated handshake with grins on their faces. “We didn’t hang out during the summer. What’s up with that?”

“Oh you know, chillin’ with my girl.” Brandon glances over at Ella who looked away. It was odd seeing Ella so uncomfortable and awkward. She was normally the one who spruced up the conversation. 

“You coming to my party Saturday?” Brandon snaked his arm around Lewis’s shoulder.

“Of course dude.” Lewis gave him a sly grin.

“Remember to bring that stuff while you’re at it.” Lewis’s grin faded, only slightly. “Well, I’ll see you around.” He pats Lewis’s back and turns around facing Ella and I. Brandon glances down at me and then proceeds to walk through us. We both stumble back a bit.

”He sure hasn’t lost any charm over the summer.” I cross my arms and we all watch him, and his friends, leave down the hall.

The bell rang rather quickly after that and we exchanged short goodbyes. They had their first class together while I was stuck alone. Despite us finally being Seniors I was the only one who hadn't made any other friends. 

 

By the time I figured my way around the school, I arrived to first period late. I hesitantly opened the door and found that everyone’s eyes were on me. They were mostly familiar faces with some here and there that I’d never seen before.”Late on the first day of school? What’s your last name?” 

“It’s uh-Wright.” Instantly her expression changed from annoyed to disappointed.

“I had your brother two years in a row. He was never late to my class. Especially not on the first day of school.” Michael, my older brother who excelled at everything, had Ms. Edwards his Junior and Senior year; she adored him. So did every teacher; he was just so good at every subject. I, on the other hand, am only semi-decent at writing and mediocre at best, playing guitar; two skills that’ll probably never land me a job. I looked over at her with a dull smile. “Your seat is in the back with Mr. Stanton.” I had no clue who she was referring to until the boy in the back perked his head up when he heard the name. I shuffle over to the seat next to him and give him a small smile. He looks directly at me, with piercing blue eyes, then snaps his head back to the front of the class. I never thought my first day of Senior year could be so frightening. 

 

After five grueling hours of introductions and greetings, lunch had finally arrived. At last, I was able to sit with my friends for lunch. We were sitting at the same table that we have sat at for the last few years. Last year we had a few seniors that helped fill our table, but now that they had graduated the table has become a ghost town. 

My mother had a habit of continuing to pack my lunches even though I am almost an adult, but I wouldn’t refuse the offer. I nibbled on a chicken sandwich and some healthy off-brand potato chips. As I was obsessing over the lunch my mother had packed me, I began to listen to what Ella and Lewis were talking about, “You remember him right,” She puts her hand on Lewis’s arm. “from middle school?” I’m pretty sure Lewis had no clue what she was saying, or what was happening at that moment, but he nodded anyway. I give them both a quizzical look but they were both too far off to answer me. I sigh, resting my jaw in my hand, and glance around the room until my eyes meet those familiar, piercing eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

The starting bell rang, forcing the loud students to quiet down. Ms. Edwards projected her screen on the whiteboard. “Today we will start the first, and easiest, assignment.” The class was filled with groans, I on the other didn’t mind all that much. “This is an ‘about me’ assignment so I can get to know you better.” She walks to the front of the class, grabbing a yardstick, and points it at the board. “I need you all to join my online classroom. All the assignment information will be on there.” The room was filled with shuffling and chatter as we got our laptops out.

When I opened mine I was alarmed when the startup screen never appeared. I questioned if I had broken it or if the brightness was turned all the way down. After a short while of trying to turn the brightness up, I came to the conclusion that I forgot to charge it. “After you read the directions yourself you can go ahead and start.”

Everyone began working, with a few kids here and there playing on their phones. A short pudgy girl, dressed in all black, walked to Ms. Edwards’ desk, asked her a question, then went back to her seat. Ms. Edwards cleared her throat and looked up from her computer, “You are allowed to listen to music but please feel free to get to know the people around you; you’ll be seeing them for a while.”

I sat there silently, pretending to do work on my laptop, and occasionally tapping my fingers on my desk to the tune of a song I had stuck in my head. It was only the second day of school and I already forget the one thing I needed the most throughout the day.

I let my eyes wander to the boy next to me, who was hard at work. I found myself looking over his slide. ‘Tyler Stanton’ in big font, on the very top, caught my attention. The name sounded so familiar but foreign on my tongue. I couldn’t place where I’d heard that name before. 

**~~~~**

Lunchtime was here again. I felt deja vu as Ella and Lewis talked amongst themselves, leaving me out of the conversation. Lewis notices my disengagement and takes his eye off Ella. After a minute of feeling his eyes on me, he finally speaks up, “Looks like you got a little fan.” Lewis’s toothed grin never ceased to brighten my day.

I followed his gaze to  _Brandon_ , I rubbed my eyes, completely unsure if I was seeing correctly. He sat in the middle of  _his_ table, surrounded by his friends, and staring in my direction. He was probably spacing out and looking in my general area. Yeah, definitely not looking at me. I click my tongue and shrugged Lewis off, shaking my head. I take out my lunch bag, pulling out its contents, and nervously open the bag of chips.

**~~~~**

To make up for lost time, Lewis and Ella walked me to class. “We hardly see each other during school, we should hang out Saturday and catch up.” Ella patted my arm, I give her a small smile, and they both walked off. My mood instantly dropped when I remembered  _who_  was in my class.

In the middle of the class was a walkway that split two columns of desks, 4 rows in each. I happened to sit in the middle to the last row(inside). Brandon, however, sat up front in the inside of the walkway; I’d have to walk past him to get to my desk. Brandon didn’t say anything but I felt his eyes on me the entire time it took to walk to my seat.

On the other side of the walkway, I noticed a familiar face,  _Tyler_. I hadn’t noticed he was in my English class, or that he sat in the row next to me(left side). I should really work on being more aware of my surroundings.

The rest of the time in class was spent with us taking a ‘quiz’ on what we do or do not know about grammar. It was all pretty easy and it took me no time at all, so I walked to the front of the class and turned it in. However, when on my way back to my seat, Brandon grabbed my arm. I was startled and took a step back. He shoved his test into my chest and gave me a wry grin.

It wasn’t that he wanted me to turn the quiz in for him that made the situation awful, it was rather that the commotion had caused looks from the other kids in the class,  _Tyler_  in particular. Without saying anything I accepted and put the paper in the bin, then walked back to my desk.

Day 2 over, 178 more to go.

 


End file.
